23 Metros In a Row When i read your post I was extremely surprised that this would ever happen....
Same owl leads me to believe that failure was actually a result of people f*cking with what they should not......simulating hydraulic failure and manually extending gear for the purpose of "training".
Even though it has been a long time since i worked for that company, I racked my brain and could not remember any training situation where this occurred, other than the initial endorsement (which is done during the day, at altitude). So I decided to call my little Birdie who still works for the company..... turns out that the Chief Pilot (who would be in the top 5 highest Metro time pilots in Oz) was conducting a training flight, however no hydraulic failure was EVER simulated. This aircraft did have some previous undercarriage problems, and this obviously contributed to one of the mains not locking down.
Both crew members did a text book job, and should be congratulated for safe way they executed a potentially very hazardous landing, and not defamed with unreliable birdies!